Fixture chain



R. a. BENJAMIN FIXTURE CHAIN Sept. 9 1924. 1,507,808

Filed Juno 5. 1919 Patented Sept. 9, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT REUBEN B. BENJAMIN, on cHIc'AGo, ILLINOIS, Assmnoamo B NJAMIN EL o'rnIe v MANIIFAGTU'RING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or IIinINo'Is'.

. FIXTURE oI A Iv.

n sn ati nim q June 5, 1919. Serial no. 2,01,94

T a all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, REUBEN BEii' A- IN, a citizen of the United States, residing atChica g'o, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fixture Chains,of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification. J

This invention relates to fixture chains of the type in which thechain is formed of aplurality of openlinks separably con 'nected to permit of ready adjustment of the length of the chain, and. through which an electric conductor may be'passed to furnish current for the fixture suspended by the chain.

The object of this invention is the'pro duction'of a fixture chain of the character mentionediwhich will'be-so constructed as to afl'orctmeans for positively locking the links against spreading at the openings therein. A further. object is the production of a chain characterized as above'mentione-d in which the links, though of light construction, .will he possessed of great strength and rigidity, and in which a construction will be produced which is of neat and pleasing design and economical of manufacture.v

. f .A still further object is the production ofv a fixture chain in which the links will be so designed as to insure vertical disposition or hanging thereof notwithstanding distortion or non-uniformity of the links due to inaccuracy in manufacture.

With these objects in view, the invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed. r

The accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, show one embodi- 1 ment of my invention, and in said drawings Fig. 1 is'a side elevation of a fragment of chain embodying the invention; i

, Fig. 2 is, a perspective 'view illustrating more clearly the inter-locking relation between neighboring links;

-manner of removing the links. I

Fig. 3 is a section takenon substantially line"33 of Fig. 1, the electri'cconductor being omitted; I

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective View of the lower portion of one of the links; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view illustratingthe Thefpreferred form of, construction, as illustrated in', the drawings, comprisejs' a chain consisting'of 'a' plurality of siInila r it links 10 which inter-engage with whether. Each link is formed of a strip ofsheet; metal of uniform thickness throughoutand of uniform width from end to end, saidf s'trip' being bent into oval or loop" form. Eachlinkis also so formed that the sides thereof have convex outer surfaces. 11 and concave inner surfaces 12, theradius' ofcu'rvature. being smallestmidway between the ends drum link and gradually increasing toward saidfends.

Viewed-in theplane: of the link, the} projectedwidth of e'ach link varies gradually from a maximum at the points where it engages its neighborsto a minimum at points midway between its engaging ends. 7

The ends 13 of each link are flateand are provided with centrally positioned openings 14 to accommodate the electric conductor 15 which is thus adapted to pass centrally through the-chain being,-.in a sense, enclosed ,thereby. In order to guard against abra S1011 or cutting of the conductor, each opening 14: is surrounded by a rounded or flaring flange 16 which, as will beapparent, positively precludes the possibility of cutting or otherwise injuring the insulationof'th'e 0011- ductor.

In order toallow forengagement or disengagement of the links, so as to'permitof readily varying the length of the chaiineach 'linkis formed at one end witha centrally positioned transversely extending opening 17, the same being of a width slightly greater than thethickness of the metal forming the links so as to permit of the readyassage of With this arrangement, adding or removing of links be a link therethrough inthe inannerfclea-rly illustrated in Fig. 5.

readily and easily accomplished through but slight springing or spreading of the link to widen the opening therein so as to allow for the passage of the adjoining link.

Formed in each link at opposite sides of the opening 17 therein, are recesses or notches l8, there-being two recesses at each side of the opening, provided at opposite sides of the link. Said recesses open laterally or in directions substantially parallel with the plane of'the opening in each link, so that, with the links in operative relation with each other, the inwardly turned edges of the-sides of the upper neighboring link will engage the four recesses of the lower link and thus serve to positively lock the latter against spread ing at the opening therein. Accidental opening or rupture of the chain is thus rendered practically impossible. This engagement of the neighboring link with the recesses of the recessed link is best seen in Figs. 2 and 3.

By'reason of the increased curvature of the sides of each link toward the center of the link, it will be seen that the closer to the center the recesses of each link engage the inwa-rdly turned edges of the sides of the neighboring link, the more positive and eflicient is the locking effect of said edges, and to secure engagement of said notches with said edges'at points removed from the end of the link, that is, toward the center of the latter, the lower end of each link is provided with upwardly ofi'set or beaded portions 19 against which the upper end of the recessed link engages and whereby the enga ing ends of the links are held apart as wi 1 be readily understood.

At the same time the two offset portions 19 formed in each center provide an arrangement wherein adjacent links engage each other at only two points, permitting of the'lower link rocking thereon to assume, by gravity, a substantially vertical position. This is of particular advantage in that it compensates for distortion and inaccuracies due to faulty manufacture and obviates the possibility of a twisted or skewed chain such as might otherwise result in the case of dis torted links which had their ends engaging each'other in such a manner as to bar relative tilting or rocking of the links.

The curved formation of the sides of each link lends strength and rigidity to a light and otherwise weak construction. Such formation insures against distortion of the link under servere strain, and because of the say ing in material effected, through the use of light material, provides a chain which may be marketed at a low cost. The curvature of'the links also produces a chain of neat, finished and pleasing design. By curving the links so that the convexitythereof is out- Ward, rounded external surfaces are prothe link and a neighboring link; and recesses in the outer edges of each link at opposite sides of said opening therein, said recesses being engaged by adjacent portions of the neighboring link. I

2. Av separable-link fixture chain comprising inter-engaging links, each having an opening to permit of the passageof another link, said opening in each link be ing positioned at the point of engagement between the link and a neighboring link; and recesses in the outer edges of each link at opposite sides of said opening therein and facing in directions substantially parallel with the plane of saidopening, said recesses being engaged by adjacent portions of the neighboring link.

3. A separable-link fixture chain which comprises inter-engaglng llnks, each having an opening to permit of the passage of another link, said opening in each link being positioned at the point of engagement between the link and a neighboring link; laterally opening recesses in the outer edges of each link at opposite sides of said open-f ing therein; and inwardly turned portions on the neighboring link engaging said recesses.

4. A separable link fixture chain comprise,

ing inter-engaging split links, said links being formed of bands of sheet material with portions of their edges inwardlyturned, the split portion of each link being positioned at the point of engagement with a'neighboring link, and recesses being formed at'the outer edges of each link at opposite sides of the split portion, said recesses being engaged by adjacent inwardly turned edges of the neighboring link, whereby spreading of the splitlinks is prevented.

5. A separable link'fixture chain comprising inter engaging links formed of bands 1 of sheet material, the portion of each link positioned at the point of engagement with a neighboring link being substantiallyfiafl tened, and embossed points of support formed at the flattened portion for rocking support of the neighboring link in selfaligning position with the chain. I

6 A, separable link fixture chain comprising inter-engaging split links, the split portion of each link being positioned atthe point of engagement with a neighboring link and being substantially flattened, other portions of each link being 'inturned at the edges forming an outwardly convex surface, recesses formed at the outer edges of each link at opposite sides of the split portion, and embosseed points of support formed at the flattened portion for rocking support of the neighboring link in self-aligned p0 'sition With the chain and with said recesses in engagement With adjacent intui'ned' edges 10 of the neighboring link whereby the split link is locked against spreading.

In Witness Whereoit' I have hereunto subscribed my name.

REUBEN B. BENJAMIN. I 

